The Washington Nationals have sent All-Star shortstop CJ Abrams down to the minor leagues following an incident where he spent the night at a casino in the Chicago area, just hours before a Friday afternoon game against the Chicago Cubs. Manager Dave Martinez stated that this decision was “the right thing to do.”
Abrams, 23, who had been leading off for the Nationals, struggled in the game, recording no hits in three at-bats, along with a walk and a strikeout. He was informed of his demotion later that evening and will be assigned to West Palm Beach, Florida, where the Nationals’ minor league complex is located.
The demotion will not impact Abrams’ service time since he has been with the team for the entire season, which means he has already surpassed the required 172 days on the roster to earn a full year of service. However, if he believes the demotion is unjust, Abrams could potentially file a grievance with the Major League Baseball Players Association, risking approximately $30,000 of his $752,000 salary for missing the final week of the season. He is set to become arbitration-eligible this winter as a Super 2 player.
Abrams was part of the significant trade deal involving Juan Soto two years ago. He had a strong first half of the season, earning an All-Star selection with a batting average of .268, along with 15 home runs and 15 stolen bases in his first 89 games. However, his performance deteriorated in the second half, where he posted a .203 batting average, and his defensive skills have been a concern throughout the year.
Nationals manager Dave Martinez emphasized that the decision to demote Abrams was not based on his on-field performance, but rather an internal issue, declining to provide further details.